First Hydrogen vehicles complete trials
With real-world fleet trials due to start early next year, it is accelerating the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in the light commercial vehicle market.
First Hydrogen Corp. announced that its two demonstrator vehicles completed initial commissioning trials.
The company’s demonstrator vehicles have passed the important vehicle control system tests as part of the commissioning trials. The fuel cell systems, including the stack supplied by Ballard Power Systems, have undergone extensive calibration and testing in Graz, Austria.
The testing is run by First Hydrogen’s automotive build partner, AVL, one of the world’s leading mobility technology companies for development, simulation and testing in the automotive industry and beyond.
The commissioning process ensures that the vehicles meet the highest possible safety standards for hydrogen and high voltage electrical safety systems. As part of the commission, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service inspected the vehicles at AVL’s facility in Basildon, UK and were satisfied the control measures put in place have supported the application for use on the county’s roads. This important step enables the vehicles to be tested in mixed road and driving conditions and to confirm performance ahead of First Hydrogen’s real-world operational trials with major fleet operators in early 2023.
Since announcing the trials, which are coordinated through Element Energy and the UK Aggregated Hydrogen Freight Consortium (AFHC), a further two fleets have expressed interest in participating in the demonstration programme. A total of 12 fleet operators working across a range of industries, including telecoms, utilities, infrastructure, delivery, grocery and healthcare have now signed up to participate. They will be able to technically evaluate First Hydrogen’s fuel cell vehicles in terms of payload, range and ease of refuelling and compare ease of use with battery electric alternatives.
Steve Gill, CEO at First Hydrogen Automotive, said, “Completion of the first trials is a key milestone in our demonstrators’ this takes First Hydrogen to progress in the next stages of development for the vehicle’s hydrogen system, filling trials and dynamic road running.”
Balraj Mann, Chairman of First Hydrogen, said, “With the hydrogen demonstrator vans being near road legal, First Hydrogen is in a position to take part in the various government programs the Canadian and United States’ governments have put in place.”
